South Korea faces quandary over Ukraine’s air defence system request
South Korea may have been steadfast in its support for Ukraine against Russian and North Korean forces, but Kyiv’s request for air defence systems could prove to be a step too far for Seoul to accept. In addition to South Korea’s legal and policy limits on arms transfers to countries at war and its own defence needs, providing such weapons to Ukraine could further strain its ties with Russia,…
South Korea is contemplating whether to provide Ukraine with air defence systems, despite the potential strain on its relations with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged South Korea to support Ukraine by supplying air defence systems, warning that North Korea may deploy up to 30,000-50,000 troops to Russia. South Korea's Defence Ministry states they are monitoring North Korea's ties with Russia but are complying with domestic laws and policies on arms transfers.
However, experts suggest that South Korea's production capacity for air defence systems would be a constraint, and it would need to meet demands from other countries as well. South Korea's defence cooperation with NATO and Russia's alliance with North Korea also complicates the matter. North Korean military intelligence reports that a North Korean missile unit is being deployed to western Russia, potentially including 90 personnel, six launchers, and up to 120 ballistic missiles.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
